House Passes Revenue Bill, Delays Budget Vote

The Kentucky House of Representatives has agreed on a bill to raise some taxes, but hasn't yet voted on a new, two-year state budget.

The clock is ticking as House lawmakers study a slate of budget bills that require passage before the end of the session on April 15.

The chamber approved a bill that would raise the state’s gasoline tax by 2%, tax instant horse racing, and fix an issue with the way library districts are funded.

But lawmakers delayed a vote on the House's version of Gov. Steve Beshear’s $20.3 billion budget. House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins says the body will vote on three budget bills today to fund the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government.

“We feel like we’ve got a good document, and like I said, this will give members more time to look at the budget bill itself, and it will also give us time to make sure the I’s are dotte and the T’s are crossed,” he said.

The house draft of Beshear proposal will spend an additional $40 million across many areas, including more funding for state prosecutors and pay raises for state government employees, but it reduces spending on textbooks for low-income students by about $10 million.